The Best Charcuterie for Your Holiday Party

As I am helplessly addicted to the fine meats of charcuterie (cured meats like prosciutto, smoked sausages, pates), I fortuitously stumbled across this article on The Best Charcuterie for Your Holiday Party. This is a truly a great representation of a good charcuterie board, and your guests will love it. When putting your board together, it is traditionally served with some kind of condiment, like mustard, and some kind of pickled vegetables, like cornichons (mini gherkins).

To learn more about charcuterie, and recipes to make your own delectable meats, check out my book recommendation on Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, And Curing.

Kitchen Tips

Tip #1: Mise en Place

A French term meaning “putting in place,” mise en place refers to preparing and gathering all the necessary ingredients (measured out and placed in individual bowls), equipment and utensils for cooking a dish before you begin making it. This also includes knowledge of the ingredients and recipe. Mise en place will help save you time in the kitchen if preparing numerous dishes (entrees, hors d’oeuvres, etc.) or even just one dish.

Did You Know...

Should you ever see “sweetbreads” on a menu, this is not a sweet pastry or actual bread. It is actually the thymus gland derived from young animals, usually calves or lambs.